Pneumatic straw-stacker



W. F. MACGREGOR;

PNEUMATIC SIRAW STAGKER.

- APPLICATION FILED AUG-19.1918.

1,320,079. I I Patented Oct. 28,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. F. MAcGREGOR.

PNEUMATIC STRAW STACKER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I9. I918.

1,320,079. Patented Oct. 28,1919.

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WALLACE F. MAcGREGOR, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE INDIANA MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

PNEUMATIC STRAW-STACKER. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALLACE F. MAC- GREcoR, a citizen of the United States, residingat Racine, in the county ofRacine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Straw-Stackers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to pneumatic straw stackers, and more particularly to the fan casing thereof, my object being to provide a fan casing especially adapted for use in that type of pneumatic stacker employing a discharge pipe positioned adjacent the rear of the threshing machine instead of at the rear end of the stacker, which arrangement requires rotation of the stacker fan toward the thresher and not rearwardly therefrom as is common practice where the discharge pipe extends from the rear end of the stacker, all as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is an elevation of the inner wall of my improved fan drum; Fig. 2 a detailed sectional view on the dotted line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 an end elevation of the fan drum showing my improved straw guide; Fig. 4 a transverse section of the fan drum showing a fan therein, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the fan drum showing the fan in elevation.

In said drawings my improved fan drum is indicated by the reference numeral, 40. As the boot or outlet, 40, of said drum lies closely to the threshing machine, it is necessary that the stacker fan shall rotate to discharge in the same direction, and because of such arrangement there is a somewhat different action of the air currents than where such boot extends from the rear of the fan drum. Large masses of straw are constantly discharging from a threshing machine during its operation, and such material must be instantly withdrawn by the suction action of the stacker fan, and I have discovered in actual practice that entrance of such masses into the fan drum by such suction is materially assisted and acceler ated by flanging the eye of said fan drum in a peculiar manner to produce a guide for the straw. In Fig. 4 it will be understood that the inclined or sloping hopper, 41, forms a part of the ordinary straw chamber of the Specification of Letters Patent.

- let and the stacker pipe as is common.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed. August 19, 1918. Serial No. 250,426.

common type of-wind stacker, and conveys the material toward the fan eye by gravity until within the suction influence of fan, 42, and in order thatthe material will have a ready clearance and a somewhat whirling motion, I provide an outwardly projecting flange, 43, about a portion of the fan openmg (Figs. 1, 2, around which much of the material is carried while entering the fan eye until it reaches the point of upward propulsion through the outlet 40 of the drum by the revolving fan blades, at which point I provide an inwardly projecting flange, 44, which extends a considerable dis tance about the eye as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. In this manner the suction action of the fan is constantly drawing the material inwardly, that portion of which is highest of the mass readily following the inward deflection of flange 44, while the portion of the material entering the lower part of the eye is guided around by flange 43 until it reaches inclined flange 44, when it readily slips into the blast discharging upwardly through outlet 40, and by the force of such blast and the propelling action of the fan blades is discharged through the drum on? r s indicated I have demonstrated in practice that the fan eye flanged substantially in the manner disclosed is highly eflicient in neutralizing irregularities of the air currents, and in facilitating the travel into the fan eye of the masses of straw incident to the operation of a threshing machine.

I provide a fan of any desired construction for such purpose, that illustrated com-' prising a disk, 50, as indicated in Fig. 5, mounted upon a bushing, 51, supporting the shaft, 52. From said bushing 51, a hub, 57, projects, having a flange, 53, which is secured to disk 50, and radially extending from said hub are the arms, 54. I attach to said arms 54 and disk 50 the divergent fan blades, 55, which are concave or cupped, as

indicated, so that their hollow sides during rotation collect the air and pick up material, and are highly eflieient in propelling the same through the stacker boot. I have found this arrangement extremely light in comparison to ordinary stacker fans, yet very durable, and, as indicated, eflicient for the purpose of handling straw masses. In order to readily balance such fan I provide washer like weights, 56, which may be attached to the ends of the blades as desired by means of screws, or otherwise, as indicated in said Fig. 5.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a pneumatic stacker, the combination of a straw chamber, a fan drum communicating therewith having a material inlet, a straw guide communicating with said inlet comprising a lower outwardly projecting flange and an upper inwardly projecting flange, and a rotary fan in said drum.

2. In a pneumatic stacker, the combination of: a straw chamber, a fan drum communicating with said chamber having a straw guide extending circumferentially about its intake opening, a portion of said guide projecting outwardly from said opening and a portion thereof projecting into the interior of said drum, and a fan in said drum for drawing material thereinto through said guide.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALLACE F. MAOGREGOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of P-atents, Washington, D. G. 

